Pump having radial intake and centrifugal discharge



F. W. FULLER Dec. 12, 19 1 PUMP HAVING RADIAL INTAKE AND CENTRIFUGAL DISCHARGE Filed May 28, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 33 Frank W Fu//e/- ;Y M. 2. M:

ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1961 F. w. FULLER 3,012,514

PUMP HAVING RADIAL INTAKE AND CENTRIFUGAL DISCHARGE Filed May 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY $021., 63. M

ATTORNEY F. W. FULLER Dec. 12, 1961 PUMP HAVING RADIAL INTAKE AND CENTRIFUGAL DISCHARGE Filed May 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BY M

United States atent dice 3,012,514 Patented Dec. 12, 1961 3,M2,514 P HAVING RADlAL INTAKE AND {ZEN- TRKFUGAL DISCHARGE Frank W. Fuller, Houston, Tex, assignor, by niesne assignments, to Albert Benjamin Carly, .lr. Filed May 28, 1958, Ser. No. 738,492 4 Claims. (Cl. 1tl3-=-8?) This invention relates to a high fluid delivery capacity pump of the type having a generally radially flowing intake and a centrifugal discharge, such pump being an improvement of the pump disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,766,697, issued October 16, 1956, to Elroy F. Judd, for Pump Having Radial Intake and Centrifugal Discharge.

It is an object of this invention to provide such a pump in which the drive connection therefor extends sealably through the discharge impeller housing for connection to the discharge impeller, the suction impeller in turn being connected to the discharge impeller.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pump of this class of increased delivery capacity obtained by providing a discharge impeller housing of volute crosssection to provide discharge channel space for the volume of fluid which can be drawn into such housing in excess of the volume which can be carried within the discharge impeller, per se.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a pump of this class which may be employed as a sub mersible pump and driven from a remote elevation by a prime mover driving a hydraulic pump at such elevation to transfer hydraulic drive fluid through flexible conduits to and from a hydraulic motor connected at the submerged level as the drive for such submersible pump.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a submersible pump of this class equipped with a seal between hydraulic motor and the submersible pump whereby any leakage from the submersible pump into the hydraulic motor is detected by the discoloration of the hydraulic drive fluid.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a pump of this class adapted to transfer fluids of heaviest viscosity with minimum wear, and under the widest variety of performance conditions.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a pump of this class having an auxiliary discharge impeller on the suction side of the main discharge impeller to insure the delivery of any fluid flowing into the volute space outwardly of the main discharge impeller in such manner that such fluid is delivered into the discharge outlet.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification herein is considered in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partially diagrammatic, showing a radial intake, centrifugal discharge pump embodying this invention employed as a submersible pump;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view, part in section, showing details of construction of the radial intake, centrifugal discharge pump as shown in Fl G. l, and showing the submerged drive therefor;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, part in section, taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view, part in section, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, showing the details of the seal between the submersible pump and the submerged hydraulic drive motor therefor;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a modification or" the radial intake, centrifugal discharge pump shown in FIG. 1, the pump shown in this view being employed, as for irrigation purposes; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view, part in section, showing the drive connection for the modification of pump shown in FIG. 6.

Referring in detail to the drawin s in which corresponding reference numerals are assigned to corresponding elements in the various views, FIG. 1 shows a radial intake, centrifugal discharge pump 11 which is driven by a conventional hydraulic motor 12 to which fluid is delivered through a flexible conduit, as a rubber hose 13 leading from the discharge of a conventional hydraulic device 14, constructed as the hydraulic motor 12, and connected to operate as a pump, by drawing fluid from a sump or reservoir 15 through a suction conduit 16, and delivering it through the conduit 13 to the motor 12, as aforesaid. The hydraulic drive fluid is returned from the motor 12 by way of the return flexible conduit 17, which can also be a rubber hose, to the sump 15, the sump in this case being shown as comprised by the skids for a conventional gasoline engine 18. Optionally a separate sump 19 may be provided above the hydraulic pump 14, and assemled therewith as a unit.

The radial intake, centrifugal discharge pump 11 includes a discharge impeller housing 2t) shown in FIG. 2 as having a top plate or closure 21, to which the hydraulic motor 12 is connected, and a lower plate or connection member 22 which extends radially inwardly from the housing 20 to terminate in a circular opening 23 from which extends a cylindrical suction impeller housing 24. A connection or closure plate 25 extends radially inwardly from the lower end of the suction impeller housing 24, and a suction inlet cylinder 26 is connected thereto. A cylindrical support 27 extends downwardly from the discharge impeller housing 20 and terminates in two vertically spaced apart base rings 28 and 29 between which upright grill bars 39 extend angularly, in parallel relation.

Such upright grill bars 3t are crossed below and in part supported by fiat bars 30' which extend across the lower base ring 29, and as shown, at an angle to the grill bars 3d. The pump 11 is thus supported as the lower base ring 2i and the flat bars 30' seat, as at the bottom of a water filled pit or cofler dam to be evacuated, the water passing in through the grill bars 30 and upwardly through the inlet conduit 26 into a suction impeller 31.

The suction impeller 31 includes a cylindrical shroud 32 which is concentric with the suction impeller housing 24, the suction impeller being rotatably journalled therein with running fit clearance. Within the shroud 32 a plurality of blades 33 are provided of the general construction shown best by the blades 33 in the said Judd Patent No. 2,766,697. Such blades 33 are equally radially spaced apart and are connected at their outer edges to the inner surface of the shroud 32, and are connected inwardly by an axle 3 5 which is coaxial with the vertical axis of the pump 11.

An annular plate 35 extends outwardly from the upper end of the shroud 32 which provides at its upper end a circular inlet into the discharge impeller 36. The plate 35 is slightly spaced from the connection plate or member 22 of the housing, and spaced thereabove is a circular plate 37, sirocco or centrifugal blades 38 being connected at their upper edges to the circular plate 37 and at their lower edges to the annular plate 35 so that the blades 38 space the plates 35 and 37 apart and the plate 35, blades 38 and plate 37 together comprise the centrifugal discharge impeller 36 which, when driven, rotates within the housing 2% which is of volute cross-section with the greater radius of the volute terminating at 39 in a discharge 40 which extends upwardly through and above the top closure plate 21.

Inside the housing 28 and extending substantially parallel to the larger radii half thereof is provided a plate 41 of volute contour which is connected at its upper edge to the closure plate 21 and at its lower edge to the connection plate or member 22, and which terminates outwardly to substantially bisect discharge into the discharge outlet between the discharge inwardly of the volute plate 41 and the discharge outwardly thereof. Therefore, as best seen in FIGURE 3, the end 1% of the volute plate 41 is positioned adjacent the trailing ends of the circumferential discharge blades 33 and the second end 102 of the volute plate 41 is positioned 180 from the end 100 and positioned adjacent the discharge outlet 46.

The construction hereinabove described with reference to FIG. 2 can be seen in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. As best shown in FIG. 3 the centrifugal discharge or sirocco blades 38 begin inwardly on their lower side at the inner diameter of the annular plate 35 adjacent its connection to the suction impeller shroud 32 and such blades are curved outwardly therefrom opposite the direction of rotation to terminate at the outer diameter of toe annular plate 35 on their lower edges, and at the periphery of the circular plate 37 on their upper edges. By virtue of this arrangement throats or venturis 42- are provided at the points where adjacent blades are closest together, which, as shown, are the points where trailing blades are closest to the outer edges of the adjacent leading blades.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the suction impeller blades 33 overlap each other in bottom view so that an inlet or lower part 43 of a first blade is visible, whereas the lower part 43' of an adjacent second blade obscures the upper part, including the upper edge 44 of such first blade. In turn the lower part of a next adjacent blade obscures the upper part, including the upper edge 4-4 of such second blade. The axle 34 shown in FIG. 4 is a round rod on which the blades 33 converge inwardly, and optionally the blades 33 could simply have their inner edges beveled and fitted together, as by welding.

As shown in FIG. 2, a clearance is provided between the connection member or plate 22 and the plate 35, and vanes 45 are provided on the lower side of the plate 35 and connected thereto, such blades extending from their inner ends adjacent the shroud 32 outwardly in direction opposite the direction of impeller rotation to substantially the outer periphery of the plate 35. Thus any fluid, as water, which may fall through the spaces 46 and 47, as shown in FIG. 3, to rest upon the connection member 22, will be swept away by the vanes 45 and delivered to the discharge outlet 40, and thus such will not fall past the shroud 32 to be recirculated through the suction impeller blades 33.

In the modification of the pump shown in FIG. 2 the closure plate 21 is shown including a thickened or enlarged portion 48 having a recess 49 therein to receive a boss 51 extending downwardly thereinto from the housing of the hydraulic motor 12. The housing 50 is recessed at 52 to have the outer race of a ball bearing assembly 53 press fitted thereinto which is retained in position by a split ring 54 in a groove in the housing. A shaft 55 extends downwardly through the inner race of the ball bearing assembly 53 and has a groove therein to receive a split ring 56 to shoulder upon the ball bearing assembly 53 and position the shaft 55' with relation to such assembly.

The shaft 55 has a removable collar 57 thereon immediately below the ball bearing assembly 53 positioned thereon by means of a set-screw 58, and such shaft extends through a seal assembly 60 which surrounds the shaft 55 below the collar 57 and shoulders downwardly at the base of a counterbore 59 within the enlarged portion 48 of the pump housing closure plate 2-1. Such seal includes a vibration ring 61 which is press-fitted into the counterbore 59 to shoulder on the base 62 thereof, and a stationary insert 63 of a suitable bearing material is press-fitted within the vibration ring 61 with upper face to serve as the stationary friction face of the seal.

The upper part of the seal assembly 60 is rotatable with the shaft 55, a sleeve member 64 fitting snugly about the shaft and having an upper lip 65 against which the upper face of a spring cage 66 is urged by a spring 67 surrounding the sleeve 64, the lower end of such spring urging against a flange of the sleeve 64 to urge it against a seal member 68, the lower face of which comprises the rotatable seal surface which bears during rotation against the upper face of the stationary seal member 63. A gasket 69 is provided between the motor housing 50 and the closure plate .21 to prevent the hydraulic drive fluid from leaking outwardly.

Below the seal 60 the shaft 55 extends through a bore 70 in the pump housing closure plate 21, and terminates in a turned down, threaded end 71 which extends through a hole 72 in the circular plate 37 of the discharge impeller 36, so that the shaft 55 shoulders at '73 on such circular plate, the threaded end 71 being threadably engaged in assembly with a nut 74 which is concentric about the hole 72 as welded to the inner face of the plate 37. In case the discharge fluid in the discharge impeller and discharge impeller housing should leak past the seal assembly 6t and into the hydraulic motor 12, the presence of such leaked fluid can be observed through suitable inspection windows provided in the hydraulic system thereabove.

In the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the discharge 40' extends outwardly substantially tangentially from the housing 20, rather than upwardly therefrom. In service such a pump may be used to draw fluid, as water, from a ditch 75, the suction conduit having an elbow 76 therein extending downwardly into the ditch '75. The housing 20 is of volute cross-section as best shown generally in FIG. 3, and has the inner volute plate 41 thereacross, and the discharge impeller is constructed in correspondence with the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. l-5, inclusive, including the annular plate 35 and the centrifugal or sirocco impeller blades 38-. Also the annular plate 35 is connected to the suction impeller shroud 32, and the suction impeller blades 33 are constructed and assembled within the shroud 32 and about the axle 34, as hereinabove described.

A driving connection is made to the pump through means of a shaft and shaft housing assembly 77 including a welded plate construction forming a box housing having a division plate 78 thereacross and an outer end plate 79. A shaft 55 extends through the plates 79 and 78 and has therearound conventional flange bearing assemblies 80, one of which is mounted on the outer face of the plate 79 and one of which is mounted on the outer face of the plate 78. Set screws 81 extend threadably through the bearing flanges 8G to bear upon the shaft 55 to position the shaft 55' with relation to the housing 77. The shaft 55 extends through a bore 82 in the pump housing closure plate 21' and has a turned down and threaded inner end to extend through a hole 72 in the circular plate 37 of the discharge impeller 36, in assembly such threaded end 71 being threaded into a nut 74 welded to the circular plate 37 as hereinabove described until the shaft shoulders at 73 on the outer surface of the plate 37 as the inner face of the shaft housing 77 bears at 83 against the outer face of the pump housing closure plate 21.

A cylindrical stufiing box 84 is welded to the closure plate 21 to extend concentric about the bore 82 and the shaft 55', such stuffing box being provided with conventional grip rings 85 in the inner end thereof to retain the packing 86. A stuffing gland 87 about the shaft 55 extends into the stuffing box 34 to retain and compress the packing 86 and bolts 88 extending through bores in the stufling gland flange or cars are tightened thereagainst by threading such bolts into threaded bores on cars or nuts affixed to the stuffing box 84. The outer end of the shaft 55 has a keyway 89 therein so that a pulley 90, shown in FIG. 6, may be keyed thereto, the pulley being driven by a V-belt 91 extending over a similar pulley, not shown, on the shaft of a speed reducer or motor, or some corresponding prime mover.

The pump housing 20 is connected to uprights 92, which in turn are integrally formed with, or connected to horizontal members, as angles 93, which extend upon the ground or foundation and are cross-braced by the plate 94. The pump may thus be anchored, as by lag bolts extending through said angles 93 into the ground or into concrete. An opening is provided in the pump housing, normally closed by a plug 95, and when the pump is to be started, the flapper valve 96 at the lower end of the elbow 76 is maintained closed while the plug 95 is removed and the pump 11 and conduit 26' filled with water to prime the pump, after which the flapper valve 96 is opened.

The invention has a multiplicity of usages such as to deliver fluid from ditches to irrigate rice fields, serving to deliver fluid, as oil well mud, to load the inlets of reciprocating pumps, and such as to pump out cofferdams during construction operations, and to evacuate lakes, pools, reservoirs, and the like.

The invention is not limited to the disclosures shown but a variety of constructions fall within the scope of the invention. For instance under conditions the submersible pump unit system may be employed in simpler form, as without the volute construction, but with a simple concentric housing about the discharge impeller. Also, under conditions of usage, in the form using the volute housing, the inner volute plate may be omitted. Also the vanes on the suction side of the discharge impeller may be omitted as usage demands.

The invention is thus not limited to the embodiments, variations, and modifications shown, but other improved forms of radial intake, centrifugal discharge pumps are considered as well as such may fall within the broad scope of the invention and within the broad scope of interpretation claimed and merited for the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A pump including a unitary housing comprising a volute cross-section discharge impeller housing having one end closed and terminating outwardly in a discharge outlet at the outermost part of said volute, a cylindrical suction impeller housing concentric therewith, a flange extending radially inwardly from the end of said volute housing opposite said closed end to connect said volute housing to one end of said cylindrical housing, a suction fluid inlet provided into the other end of said cylinrical housing, a discharge impeller rotatable within said volute cross-section housing and comprising a circular plate and an annular plate spaced therefrom and concentric therewith and slightly spaced from said flange and a plurality of equally radially spaced apart blades interconnecting said plates and being curved from the inner diameter of said annular plate outwardly in direction opposite impeller rotation to provide successive venturis and defining a free space therewithin to draw fluid therefrom upon rotation to discharge it to said discharge outlet, a suction impeller comprising a cylindrical shroud rotatably journalled for running fit clearance within said cylindrical housing and connected at one end to said annular plate at the inner periphery thereof, and a plurality of equally radially spaced apart blades connected outwardly to the inner surface of said shroud and inwardly by an axle coaxial with the axis of said volute and providing parallel surfaces angularly extending with relation to said axle to direct fluid from said suction inlet through said blades into said free space, a plurality of vanes equally radially spaced about on the side of said annular plate opposite said blades and angularly extending from said shroud outwardly in direction opposite impeller rotation direction to direct any fluid flowing into the volute cross-section housing space outwardly of said discharge impeller in manner to deliver such fluid to said discharge outlet, and a drive means extending rotatably, sealably, through said volute closure and connected to said circular plate to rotate said impellers.

2. A pump including a unitary housing comprising a discharge impeller housing of volute cross-section with a discharge outlet at the outermost part of the volute, and a substantially smaller cylindrical suction impeller housing connected at one end to an adjacent end of said discharge impeller housing and co-axial therewith and providing a suction inlet into the side thereof opposite said volute cross-section housing, a discharge impeller adapted for rotation coaxially with, and Within said volute and providing a cylindrical free space centrally therewithin and having radially spaced blades outwardly of said free space and curved to provide successive venturis through which fluid may be drawn outwardly from said free space upon impeller rotation, a suction impeller connected to said discharge impeller and rotatably journalled for running fit clearance within said cylindrical housing and including a plurality of blades connected inwardly as an axle and providing parallel surfaces angularly extending with relation to said axle for directing fluid into said free space, and a drive means extending rotatably, sealably through said discharge impeller housing for connection to said discharge impeller to rotate said impellers, said discharge impeller including a plurality of radially spaced apart vanes connected and within said discharge housing to the said adjacent end of said discharge impeller adjacent to which said one end of said suction impeller is connected, said vanes extending angularly from said suction impeller periphery outwardly in direction opposite impeller rotation direction to direct any fluid flowing into the volute cross-section housing space radially outwardly of said discharge impeller in manner to deliver such fluid to said discharge outlet.

3. A pump including a unitary housing comprising a volute cross-section dicharge impeller housing including an end closure at one end thereof, said discharge impeller housing terminating outwardly in a discharge outlet at the outermost part of said volute, a cylindrical suc tion impeller housing, a flange extending radially inwardly from the end of said volute housing opposite said closed end to connect said volute housing to one end of said cylindrical housing and concentric therewith, a suction fluid inlet provided in the other end of said cylindrical housing, a discharge impeller in said discharge impeller housing comprising a circular plate and an annular plate axially spaced therefrom and concentric therewith and a plurality of equally radially spaced apart blades interconnecting said plates and being curved from the inner diarneter of said annular plate outwardly in direction opposite impeller rotation to provide successive venturis, said circular and annular plates defining a free cen-.

tral space therewithin to draw fluid therefrom upon rotation to discharge it to said discharge outlet, and a volute plate encircling said circular plate and said annular plate spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel to said volute cross-section housing and terminating at a first end adjacent said discharge outlet directed to discharge fluid thereinto and at the other end terminating substantially degrees across said discharge impeller from said first termination, a suction impeller comprising a cylindrical shroud of slightly less predetermined outer diameter than the inner diameter of said cylindrical housing and connected at one end to substantially the inner periphery of said annular plate, and a plurality of equally radially spaced apart blades connected outwardly to the inner surface of said shroud and being connected inwardly in form of an axle coaxial with the axis of said volute, said radially spaced apart blades providing surfaces parallel to radial planes angularly extending axially with relation to said axle in direction to direct fluid from said suction inlet through said radial blades into said free space, said pump including a drive shaft journalled in driving position externally of said discharge housing and extending sealably through said end closure and connected to said circular plate centrally thereof to rotate said discharge impeller within said volute cross-section discharge impeller housing and to rotate said suction impeller with said shroud rotatably journalled for running fit clearance and 7 guidably supported bearing within said cylindrical housiug, whereby fluid is drawn through said suction inlet, said suction impeller blades, and said annular plate into said free space and therefrom to pass in part through the venturis between adjacent discharge impeller blades and through said discharge outlet and in part between said volute plate and said volute cross-section housing and through said discharge outlet.

4. A pump including a unitary housing comprising a volute cross-section discharge impeller housing including an end closure at one end thereof, said discharge impeller housing terminating outwardly in a discharge outlet at the outermost part of said volute, a cylindrical suction impeller housing, a flange extending radially inwardly from the end of said volute cross-section housing opposite said closed end to connect said volute cross-section housing to one end of said cylindrical housing and concentric therewith, a suction fluid inlet provided in the other end of said cylindrical housing, a discharge impeller in said discharge impeller housing comprising a circular plate and an annular plate axially spaced therefrom and concentric therewith and a plurality of equally radially spaced apart blades interconnecting said plates and being curved from the inner diameter of said annular plate outwardly in direction opposite impeller rotation to provide successive venturis, said circular and annular plates defining a free central space therewithin to draw fluid therefrom upon rotation to discharge it to said discharge outlet, a suction impeller comprising a cylindrical shroud of slightly less predetermined outer diameter than the inner diameter of said cylindrical housing and connected at one end to substantially the inner periphery of said annular plate, and a plurality of equally radially spaced apart blades 8 connected outwardly to the inner surface of said shroud and being connected inwardly in form of an axle coaxial with the axis of said volute cross-section housing, said radially spaced apart blades providing surfaces parallel to radial planes angularly extending axially with relation to said axle in direction to direct fluid from said suction inlet through said radial blades into said free space, said pump including a drive shaft journallcd in driving position externally of said discharge housing and extending sealably through said end closure and connected to said circular plate centrally thereof to rotate said discharge impeller within said volute cross-section housing and to rotate said suction impeller with said shroud rotatably journalled for running fit clearance and guidably supported bearing within said cylindrical housing, whereby fluid is drawn through said suction inlet, said suction impeller blades, and said annular plate into said free space and therefrom to pass through the venturis between adjacent discharge impeller blades and through said discharge outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,665,458 Hollander Apr. 10, 1928 1,821,772 Ruthman Sept. 1, 1931 2,399,548 Ingersoll Apr. 30, 1946 2,483,335 Davis Sept. 27, 1949 2,766,697 Judd Oct. 16, 1956 2,815,714 Jacobson Dec. 10, 1957 2,826,148 Ernst Mar. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,074,689 France Oct. 7, 1954 

